Destination guide: Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

Useful information about Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

Cuisine

Curanto is one of Easter Island's most traditional dishes, which blends homegrown pork and chicken with fish and other seafood. The local lobster, swordfish and Easter Island tuna are internationally renowned ingredients that play an important part in local cuisine. Several fruit-based dishes also call for banana, papaya, pineapple and guava.

Currency

Chile's official currency is the chilean peso (CLP) but it isn't divided into cents. Bills come in denominations of 20,000; 10,000; 5,000; 2,000 or 1,000 pesos and coins in 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 or 500 pesos, but businesses on Easter Island also accept euros and american dollars.

Tax

Keep in mind that a 19% tax is added to all goods and services on the Chilean mainland and its islands. However, foreigners are exempt from paying this tax on hotel lodging, provided they show overseas identification.

Official Languages

The official languages of Easter Island are Spanish and Rapa Nui. However, the island's expansive tourist industry means that operators generally have no problem communicating in French, English or German.

Time Zone

In your travels to Easter Island, you should adjust your watch to GMT -3 (from October to March) and GMT -5 (from March to October).

Electric Current

Electrical outlets on Easter Island operate at 220 volts and 50 Hertz. If any of your electronic devices operate at a different voltage, you are encouraged to travel with a power adaptor.